A New Perspective

Chapter 5- Chandler

 CHANDLER

   My alarm woke me up to a rainy morning. I turned over in my bed and groaned. Last night I had fallen asleep at about 2 am after doing some research for The Veil, losing sleep I desperately needed. Something told me it would be a long day.

   I walked out of my room to the bathroom down the hall. After a quick shower I went back to my room and looked in my closet for clothes. Actually, looked is an overstatement. There wasn't much to look for in my closet- just a mixture of black shirts, pants, and jackets. Since most of my clothes look more or less the same, I never had the what-to-wear dilemma.

   Within five minutes I was downstairs, eating a bagel while shoving books into my bag. I could hear my aunt uncle waking up. They were probably already coddling my tiny cousin, hugging her and kissing her chubby cheeks. They loved Violet like nothing else. How dangerous it is to make a single person your entire world.

   I shook my head and left for school.

   Boca in the morning was always busy, yet it was probably the most peaceful part of my day. Even the rain and the muddy sidewalks seemed beautiful. The growling engines faded to a rhythmic hum as I watched the sun rise over streetlights. The mornings and my weekends at the Reserve (a wildlife volunteer program of which I was the sole member) were among the only things I enjoyed in Florida.

   I walked alongside Yamato Road, trying to soak up the good feeling the morning brought before my day truly began. It lasted for about two minutes, until a car going way past the speed limit raced past me. The tires plowed through a puddle doused me in filthy water as the driver took a hard turn in the opposite direction.

   Sighing, I looked down at my wet clothes. There was no way I was going back to my house already just to wash up. The rain was receding. There was a chance that my clothes would dry to a bearable point before school started, so I continued as if nothing had happened. People passing looked curiously at my dirty clothes and messy black hair. I ignored them, as I always did.

   Twenty minutes later I arrived at North Boca High at exactly 7:55, leaving me no time to go to the library. I stood by the benches for a couple of minutes to avoid the stampede of teenagers rushing from the courtyard to the school's entrance, as if they were excited to be here. When the courtyard finally emptied, I went inside. Despite waiting for the coast to clear, the hallways were packed. The noise of all those students was giving me a headache. On top of that, my clothes were still uncomfortably damp. Groaning inwardly, I went to my locker. I absorbed myself in the task of opening my locker, grabbing my books, and closing it in an attempt to drown out the voices surrounding me. If I hadn't, I would have noticed how quiet the hallways had become.

   I turned around with my history and math textbooks in hand. A blond girl across the hall was looking at me with a smile. Since when did girls look at me? I wondered. Was it my-

   Something rammed into me on my right, knocking my books to the ground. The girl laughed, a sharp sound that hurt my ears. Wincing, I got to my feet and looked around. A boy with the build of a football player stood up next to me. His red face was choked with laughter.

   "Sorry emo freak," he spat. "Didn't see you there." He joined in with the blond girl's laughter and moved closer to me.

   A circle was forming around us, a ring of students expecting a fight. My hands were balled into fist, but I wasn't about to fight anyone. Not because I would get creamed, but because it wouldn't change anything.

   The football player grabbed my shirt- my wet, muddy shirt- and slammed me into my locker. I cringed as the back of my head hit the locker's grooves. He landed two quick punches in my stomach, then kneed me in a place I really wished he hadn't. I fell to my knees, moaning, and he pulled me back up.